The Independent Collegian

Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: Forum

I'll begin by posing a simple question that could potentially affect the rest of your lives and make a difference in your deciding on a path that produces the optimal outcome with respect to overall happiness. Ponder this question, if you will, until it first strikes an emotion deep within, then proceed to answer without limitation and without boundaries - either physical or mental. So, now I ask, "Do you want a job or a career?" It may seem like a simple question at the surface, but when you really examine it and personalize it, this question becomes more real. This is a question we all face when entering the workforce or even after we've been swept away by the tidal wave of the work-a-day world. When answering, we should take time to consider what we really want in life and what our personal definition of success is. To quote Will Smith in the movie "Pursuit of Happyness," "never allow anyone to judge your dreams … If you want something, go get it, period." Do what you love and the money will follow. The hard part is finding out exactly what you love. The better question to ask in this case may be, "what truly brings you joy?"

A couple of years ago I had an opportunity to read one of David Bach's best sellers, "Start Late, Finish Rich." The book was a blueprint for individuals and families who, for whatever reason, didn't take the opportunity early in life to begin saving for their future. The book describes practical ways to accelerate one's saving potential to be in a better financial position down the road, even with a late start. I thought Bach's advice was mediocre, quite frankly, and for the most part dry. Personal finance is not one of the most colorful subject matters on the planet, and the field is littered with thousands of books describing pretty much the same means to an end - albeit with a twist on every possible angle. A book of this caliber is not for cozying next to the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate, with leisure reading in mind.

I read through the entire book before I found a gem. In retrospect, that's probably what Bach had in mind when he wrote it. The last chapter of the book puts aside all the finance jargon and asks some pointed life questions in relation to our purpose in life and of the degree of joy we feel. Here are a few that stand out to me: 1) Are you having fun? 2) Are you living a life of love - a life that brings you joy, fulfills you and is in line with your core values? 3) Are you the person you want to be? 4) Are you doing what you long to do? 5) Are you living rich? 6) What did your soul answer?

David Bach offers a life's mission for all to implement in their own lives: to find what you are meant to be doing while you are here. He also offers the following principles: 1) Become connected with your truth; 2) Stop judging yourself; 3) Stop judging others; and 4) Pursue fun with a vengeance. I truly believe these are serious questions to consider and meaningful principles to assimilate. The hard part is being completely honest with ourselves when asking these questions and putting these principles into motion.

I have read thousands of pages of textbook-literature on various subjects throughout my college career. The majority of my reading portfolio is related to business, but it also includes subjects such as history, psychology and philosophy which help to round out a college education. The only downfall to my learning is that it is merely theory and doesn't always provide for practical application in a real-world setting. This is the point in anyone's life where academia meets pragmatism. In the real world - and all of you can attest to this - we are posed with questions, tough questions, that we must answer from a practical standpoint. We must rely on intuition, not the textbook to get us through. All the theory in the world will not allow you to deal with the variety of situations that arise on a daily basis. Only strong-willed need apply. It is at this point where we can throw the proverbial textbook out the window and rely solely on practical application - the "ol' hands on" approach. Quite simply, that's the way the world works - like it or not. Hence, the importance of doing what you love.

Perhaps the most important question anyone can ask is the self-directed question that moves us to dig for inner emotions that may still be sleeping within. It's time to wake up our souls and ask (repeatedly), "am I really doing what I love?" It is here we will find the difference between a job and a career. I chose a career of doing exactly what I love. How about you?

- Scott Riddle is an IC Columnist and a senior majoring in finance.

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